Right-Angle Connector Assembly with Integrated Positioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of right-angle connectors with multiple contacts is time-consuming due to difficulties in simultaneously bending and inserting terminal portions into positioners, especially when contacts are arranged in multiple rows, leading to variations in terminal portion positions.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a housing and an arrangement member that holds contact and terminal portions, allowing for easy bending of metal pieces to intersecting directions, with engaging portions that secure the arrangement member to the housing, facilitating easier assembly by ensuring proper alignment and bending of contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If contacts are arranged in multiple rows and inserted into positioner holes separately, then each contact can be positioned individually, but assembly time increases significantly and terminal portion positions vary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate assembly operations into a single integrated process. The positioner simultaneously holds multiple contacts in multiple rows, and the bending tool bends all terminal portions at once. This combines individual positioning and bending operations into unified simultaneous actions, resolving the contradiction between positioning accuracy and assembly speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioner is designed with pre-formed holes that guide and pre-position the terminal portions of contacts before bending. This preliminary positioning action ensures accurate final positions while enabling simultaneous processing of multiple contacts, thus improving both precision and productivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If each contact is bent before insertion into positioner, then terminal portions can be pre-shaped, but it becomes difficult to simultaneously insert multiple contacts and position variations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional sequence by first inserting contacts into the positioner and then bending the terminal portions. Instead of bending before insertion, the positioner first provides guidance and positioning, then the bending action is applied while contacts are constrained by the positioner structure, ensuring consistent positions.
3Ease of operation
If positioner is attached separately from housing, then positioning function can be provided, but assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the positioner and housing into a single integrated component. The positioner structure is combined with the housing body, eliminating the need for separate attachment steps. This integration maintains the positioning function while reducing assembly complexity and time.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector comprises a first contact, a housing and an arrangement member other than the housing. The first contact has a contact portion and a terminal portion. The housing holds the contact portion of the first contact so that the contact portion extends along a first direction. The housing is provided with an engaged portion. The arrangement member holds the terminal portion of the first contact so that the terminal portion extends along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The arrangement member is provided with an engaging portion. The engaging portion engages the engaged portion in a direction intersecting the second direction so that the arrangement member is held by the housing and the terminal portion of the first contact is bent to extend along the second direction.